The present invention is intended for use in connection with the insertion of a plurality of lead wires into a connector housing wherein each terminal must be specifically placed in a particular cavity and inserted to the proper degree so that it is locked in place and cannot be withdrawn. In particular, the present device is intended for use in insertion of wires into a connector housing having a large plurality of cavities located in rows and columns. The device finds particular usefulness in assembly of wiring harnesses for motor vehicles.
In general, devices which indicate incomplete insertion of a terminal into a cavity of a connector housing are known. In addition, various devices for identifying specific cavities in such housing are also known. The location of the specific desired terminal is determined electrically or by light beams.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,801, a fuse holder is inserted into the terminal block by means of an insertion ramp. An opening for receiving a protrusion extending into the passage is also provided. As can be seen particularly in FIG. 4, the invention is directed to the combination of opening 28 and ramp 210 in fuse holder 20 which is designed to receive protrusion 13 from terminal block 10.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,029 teaches the use of lamps for illuminating the second connector cavity. In this test system, an indication is provided at the second location which corresponds to the first location at which sequencing has been stopped. The preferred embodiment teaches a separate lamp to mark each second location. These lamps can be arranged in a pattern corresponding to the pin pattern of the conductor in the event that a plurality of wires to be connected to a single connector unit.
The patent is Brunelle (U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,155) describes a pin locator wherein light emitting diodes are presented in an array that corresponds to the physical arrangement of the proper locations for insertion of the terminals into the connector. The illuminated diode indicates the location at which the terminal is to be inserted.
A terminal examination device with a head having a plurality of probes projecting forwardly therefrom is disclosed by Ozawa in U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,212. The probe has a front portion and a rear portion slidably located in a metallic tube and biased forwardly, leaving a predetermined gap between the probe portions when they are in freed conditions. The front probe portion is moved into the metallic tube to make contact with the rear probe portion when pressed by the corresponding terminal of the connector.